How to save $50 splicing double braid rope

[japtenks]

If you willing to do a little cutting, you can get knitting needles from a fabric store. They are aluminum and you just match the MM from the Samson kit to the same MM for the knitting needle. Cut the end at about a 60 degree, and then use the Samson splicing guide to mark out the lengths for the cuts and the short and long fid.

For about 6 dollars (with some coupons) and some time you can get a nice colorful metal set that works well.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by japtenks

If you willing to do a little cutting, you can get knitting needles from a fabric store. They are aluminum and you just match the MM from the Samson kit to the same MM for the knitting needle. Cut the end at about a 60 degree, and then use the Samson splicing guide to mark out the lengths for the cuts and the short and long fid.

For about 6 dollars (with some coupons) and some time you can get a nice colorful metal set that works well.

Hi Japtenks
Welcome to CF .

Your suggestion is an excellent one.

I would go one step further and actually cut the aluminium knitting needles to correspond to a 'fid length', rather than just marking this. Knitting needles are often long even when they have a small diameter. Very long fids can make splicing more difficult.

A "fid length" = 21 x rope diameter

A "short fid" is anywhere between 25% and 40% of this, depending on rope diameter and also fid manufacturer. In splicing instructions, a "short fid" is often equivalent to a third of a fid. You need to wing it a bit here .

Knitting needle sizes are often not specified in mm, so take your calipers with you.
eg US size 6 = UK size 8 = 4 mm in diameter

This information on fid lengths is from Samson:
http://www.samsonrope.com/Documents/...PT2012_WEB.pdf